The Thistle Park Tavern, Cattedown, Plymouth

The Thistle Park Tavern is a corner pub with a stage in the corner for the regular live music every Friday and Saturday. A small bar counter faces the stage; there are four handpumps on the bar and another four on the back bar. St Austell Tribute was available, but Dartmoor’s Jail Ale and Salcombe Pale Ale were both off during my early afternoon midweek visit, when I was the only customer. To the left is a second bar area away from the stage where a standard and premium keg range is available. At the end of the bar is a jukebox that was delivering the background music to myself and the friendly barman. At the rear of the pub is a ramp that leads to more seating and a pool table. The television was showing muted Commonwealth Games action. I’m not a massive fan of live music and this place feels very much like a live music venue so not my cup of tea.

A former GBG pub, an oasis of Victorian edifice standing where many other buildings have been cleared. It’s also one of the few pubs around here which still opens regularly, only really used by locals as most visitors prefer the noise, faux-nostalgia and corporate style of the Barbican across the harbour. The downstairs L-shaped bar is basic floorboarded, with a woodburner, piano and tv at one end. The other leg has gaming machines, Chesterfields and a loud jukebox. It’s not a particularly welcoming place, though neither is it hostile – just an old fashioned town pub with reasonable beer. Worth dropping into when using the QAB Marina so you don’t have to worry about the footbridge into town closing at 11pm.

Called into this 2013 Good Beer Guide pub while in Plymouth for the beer festival. It is the brewery tap for South Hams beers, and chose their Eddystone and XSB beers. It is a little out of the main town area and we went via the swing bridge which takes a while if there are boats going through.